H.R. No. 418 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, The West Texas Area Health Education Center Program has improved access to health care in more than 100 counties through the education and development of the medical workforce; and WHEREAS, West Texas is one of the most medically underserved regions in the United States; with a predominantly rural population of approximately 2.8 million people, it encompasses a land mass larger than all but four of the states; 64 of its counties have been designated as Health Professions Shortage Areas, and another 15 have a partial county or population HPSA designation; the West Texas Area Health Education Center Program, since its founding in 2002, has sought to address the health care provider shortage by increasing the number of future rural health care providers and supporting the retention of professionals currently practicing; and WHEREAS, Established by the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, F. Marie Hall Institute of Rural and Community Health, the West Texas Area Health Education Center Program coordinates the efforts of educational institutions, health care providers, communities, and counties; the program's five centers, located in Abilene, Amarillo, El Paso, Midland, and Plainview, are hosted by local organizations in partnership with the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center; they belong to a national network of Area Health Education Centers, which was created by Congress in 1971 to enhance access to quality health care, particularly primary and preventive care, by recruiting, training, and retaining health care professionals for communities with critical needs; and WHEREAS, Because young people raised in underserved settings are more likely than others to consider practicing in such a setting, the West Texas Area Health Education Center Program educates local schoolchildren about careers in the medical field, prepares them for these opportunities and encourages their progress, and conducts targeted outreaches to minorities, now underrepresented in the health care professions; its community-based clinical training programs introduce health care professions students to underserved communities while enhancing the ability of those communities to recruit new professionals; in addition, the West Texas Area Health Education Center Program provides health needs assessment and planning, coalition building, and strategic prioritization to avert future personnel shortages and to ensure that the current workforce is well trained; and WHEREAS, Improved access to high-quality health care strengthens communities, and the West Texas Area Health Education Center Program has greatly benefited quality of life and economic development in the region; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas Legislature hereby honor the West Texas Area Health Education Center Program for its outstanding contributions in behalf of the residents of West Texas and extend to all those associated with the program sincere best wishes for continued success in their vital endeavors; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for the West Texas Area Health Education Center Program as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Quintanilla Keffer Gallego Chisum Marquez Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Allen Gooden Murphy Allen Gooden Murphy Allen Gooden Murphy Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Aycock Harless Parker Aycock Harless Parker Aycock Harless Parker Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Berman Hartnett Paxton Berman Hartnett Paxton Berman Hartnett Paxton Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Branch Hochberg Phillips Branch Hochberg Phillips Branch Hochberg Phillips Brown Hopson Pickett Brown Hopson Pickett Brown Hopson Pickett Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burnam Howard of Travis Price Burnam Howard of Travis Price Burnam Howard of Travis Price Button Huberty Quintanilla Button Huberty Quintanilla Button Huberty Quintanilla Cain Hughes Raymond Cain Hughes Raymond Cain Hughes Raymond Callegari Hunter Reynolds Callegari Hunter Reynolds Callegari Hunter Reynolds Carter Isaac Riddle Carter Isaac Riddle Carter Isaac Riddle Castro Jackson Ritter Castro Jackson Ritter Castro Jackson Ritter Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Christian Keffer Schwertner Christian Keffer Schwertner Christian Keffer Schwertner Coleman King of Parker Scott Coleman King of Parker Scott Coleman King of Parker Scott Cook King of Taylor Sheets Cook King of Taylor Sheets Cook King of Taylor Sheets Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons Deshotel Lavender Strama Deshotel Lavender Strama Deshotel Lavender Strama Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dutton Lozano Thompson Dutton Lozano Thompson Dutton Lozano Thompson Eiland Lucio III Torres Eiland Lucio III Torres Eiland Lucio III Torres Eissler Lyne Truitt Eissler Lyne Truitt Eissler Lyne Truitt Elkins Madden Turner Elkins Madden Turner Elkins Madden Turner Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farrar Margo Villarreal Farrar Margo Villarreal Farrar Margo Villarreal Fletcher Marquez Vo Fletcher Marquez Vo Fletcher Marquez Vo Flynn Martinez Walle Flynn Martinez Walle Flynn Martinez Walle Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Gallego McClendon White Gallego McClendon White Gallego McClendon White Garza Menendez Woolley Garza Menendez Woolley Garza Menendez Woolley Geren Miles Workman Geren Miles Workman Geren Miles Workman Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 418 was adopted by the House on February 22, 2011, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Allen Gooden Murphy Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Aycock Harless Parker Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Berman Hartnett Paxton Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Branch Hochberg Phillips Brown Hopson Pickett Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burnam Howard of Travis Price Button Huberty Quintanilla Cain Hughes Raymond Callegari Hunter Reynolds Carter Isaac Riddle Castro Jackson Ritter Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Christian Keffer Schwertner Coleman King of Parker Scott Cook King of Taylor Sheets Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons Deshotel Lavender Strama Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dutton Lozano Thompson Eiland Lucio III Torres Eissler Lyne Truitt Elkins Madden Turner Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farrar Margo Villarreal Fletcher Marquez Vo Flynn Martinez Walle Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Gallego McClendon White Garza Menendez Woolley Geren Miles Workman Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas